Cotton-cleaning feeder.



No. 862,893.- PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

` J. R. FORDYGE.

. COTTON CLEANING FEEDER.

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No. 862,893. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907, J. R. PORDYGE.

GOTTON CLEANING FEEDER.

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No. 862,893. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907. J. R. FORDYGE.

COTTON GLEANING FEEDER.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE ze. 1904.

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J. R. FORDYGE.

COTTON CLEANING FEEDER.

APPLIOATION FILED .TUNE 29, 1904.

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UNITED STATES JOHN R. FORDYOE, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

COTTON-CLEANING FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug'. 13, 1907.

Application filed June 29,1904. Serial No. 214,619.

K To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .lor-IN R. FORDYCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Little Rock7 county of Pulaski, State of Arkansas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cotton-Cleaning Feeders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevational view of a cleaning feeder constructed in accordance with my invention Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite side of the cleaning feeder; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the'cleaning feeder; Fig. 11 is a fr'agrnentaryielevational view of the gear on the picker roller shaft, the gear on the conveyer shaft, and the pawl reversed; and Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

This invention relates to cleaning feeders for cotton gins.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a cleaning feeder' which may be readily attached to a cotton gin or arranged in proximity thereto whereby the cotton will be tightly compressed as it is fed into the feeder and gradually pushed forward.

Another object is to provide a feeder having a picker wheel which will efficiently break open the bolls and tear the locks, so that when the cotton is thrown against the screen all dirt, leaf trash and other foreign substances will pass through the screen to be conveyed to the exterior of the feeder. By locks I mean that part of the cotton which is removed from the outer' covering or boll and which consists of the seeds surrounded by the fiber.

Another object of the invention is to separate foreign elements such as nails, rocks, etc. from the cotton previous to its introduction into the gin.

A further object is to provide means whereby the feeder' can be readily relieved should it become choked.

Another object is to provide a reversible ratchet mechanism whereby the feed from the dust conveyer may be reversed.

A still further object is to/ provide means whereby the speed of the feeder can be conveniently regulated.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel parts and combinations of parts all of which will be specifically described hereinafter, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 designates a j casing supported upon suitable standards 2. This casing has a hopper-like inlet 3 into which the cotton is fed by any suitable means, as, for example, a pneumatic feeder' commonly in use.

The reference numeral 4 designates an endless feed apron which is illustrated as being positioned in the casing and beneath the opening 3. This apron is held in a horizontal position by the rotatable shafts 5 and 6, the shaft 6 being journaled in sliding bearings 7 longitudinally movable in the casing and adapted to be adjusted by the adjusting screws 8, whereby the slack in the apron may be taken up.

The numeral 9 designates a shaft journaled in the casing and which car'r'ies the picker roller 10, the periphery of which is contiguous to the discharge end of the apron 4. The picker r'oller 10 is provided with teeth which are adapted to break open the bells and tear the locks previous to throwing the cotton against the screen 11 in rear thereof. The screen 11 is carried by a hinged par't 12 of the casing and at its lower end conforms to the curvature of the periphery of the picker roller. The hinged part 12 is provided with a bottom in the form of a V and in the vertex of this bottom is a conveyer 13 illustrated as being of worm form. The part 12 is also provided with a door l2l connected to said part by a hinge 12b as clear'ly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, to permit access to the screen 11.

14 designates a discharge chute beneath the picker r'oller which is of such form that the Cotton which has been cleaned will be fed through the chute into the r'oll box of the gin.

15 is an abutment beneath the apron and adjacent to the picker roller. This abutment is so disposed with relation to the chute and the apr'on that a pocket 16 is formed which is designed for the purpose of receiving foreign elements such as nails, stones, etc. which may subsequently be removed.

The compression r'oller lGL is mounted upon a shaft extending transversely through the casing 1 and compresses the cotton as it is fed from the apron onto the picker roller. On the picker r'oller' shaft which extends through' the Casing is a drive pulley 17. This pulley receives motion from a suitable belt 1S which will preferably be driven from a pulley on the gin. `On the end of the shaft 9 remote from the pulley 17 is a gear 19 which meshes with a gear' 2() on a suitable shaft 21 jour'naled in the casing.

The curved pitman 22 is eceentrically mounted on the gear 2O and at one end pivotally engages a rocking arm 23 terminally supported on a suitable bearing 24. Adjacent to the eccentric connection of the pitrnan and the gear 20 is a reversible pawl 25 which is adapted to intermittently engage the teeth 26 on the ratchet 27 which is tastened to the shalt of the conveyer 13. A sliding head block or support 2S is car'r'ied by the arm 23, to which block is i'astened a link 29 in engagement with the bell cr'ank lever` 30 lulcrumed as at 31 to the casting 32. This casting is provided with teeth which constitute a segmental r'ack 33 and which are adapted to be engaged by the spring-pr'essed pawl 34 car'r'ied by the lever'.

Toggle lever's 35 and 36 are independently mounted on the sliding block 2S and their' complementary member's ar'e mounted upon the shalt 5 on which is a ratchet 37. The levers 35 and 36 carry pawls 38 and 39 which are adapted to intermittently and alternately engage the ratchet 37 whereby a continuous movement will be impar'ted to the shalt 5 so as to actuate the apron 4.

The position ol the block 28 with r'elation to the pivoted end ol the ar'm 23 will deter'rnine the speed at which the apr'on travels. For' example, it the block is moved by the link 29 and lever 30 to a position irnmediately adjacent to the pivot 24 of the ar'm 23, the ratchet 37 will not be actuated. As the block is moved away from the pivot 24 the speed ol the ratchet is increased due to the lact that the greater the leverage the greater the travel ol' the pawls at each intermittent oper'ation. 1t will thus be apparent that the leed can be stopped without stopping the picker r'oller'.

By reler'ence to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the shalt lor the compression r'oller' 1GEL is driven by a gear 38 which is in mesh with a gear' 39"L on the end ol the shalt 5 remote lrom the ratchet 37 Means is provided lor changing the direction of leed of the dust conveyor'. This is made possible by the peculiar' lorm ol the pawl 25 provided with two teeth 40 and 40a. When the pawl and ratchet lor the dust conveyer are operating as illustrated in Fig. 1, the tooth 402L which is rigidly arranged on the pawl will engage one ol the teeth on the ratchet 27 as the pawl moves in an upward direction so that the ratchet will be tur'ned lr'om right to lelt imparting a corresponding movement to the conveyer wor'm. ll it is desired to reverse the movement oi' the conveyer' the ratchet 27 may be removed and reversed and the pawl 25 may be removed and reversed so that the other' tooth 4() ol the pawl will engage the teeth on the .down-stroke ol said pawl thereby reversing the direction ol movement of the ratchet and the conveyer. One oi the principal advantages oi arranging the dirt conveyer reversibly is that it is not necessary to carry in stock a right-and left-hand conveyer'. Thus a single conveyer' can be arranged to be placed over the gin having either a drive belt on the right-hand side or on the lett-hand side. By thus making the conveyer' r'ever'sible said conveyer can be arranged to always discharge the dirt on the side opposite to the main drive belt so asto keep the belt free from said dir't. Only one discharge opening is shown in the dr'awings, see Fig. 2, but it will be understood that the opposite side ol the machine is provided with a similar' discharge opening which in Fig. 1 is hidden by the gear' 27. I

The hinged part 12 ot' the feeder has a heavy portion to one side oi the center' ol gravity so that it will at all times remain closed unless disturbed by the operator'. Il the par'ts become choked, however',

as, for example, il cotton becomes clogged between the picker' teeth and the screen, the congestion can be easily relieved by swinging the hinged part outwardly untrl a remedy is effected.

Thevbearing 41 car'r'ied by the cleaner engages the button 42 on the discharge chute 14 to assist in supporting said chute in proper position with relation to the casing so that said chute 14 is removably secured thereto.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A cotton cleaning i'eeder comprising a casing, an end less apron within the casing, means for driving it, a picker roller adjacent to the endless apron, a movable par-t formingl a portion ol the casing a screen car'r'ied by the movable part and in rear o1 the picker r'oller, and a compression roller above the apron; substantially as described.

2. A feeder tor cotton gins comprising a casing having an endless apron therein, a picker r'oller' at one end ot' the apron, a movable part forming a portion of the casing, a screen carried by the movable part, and a conveyer' beneath the screen; substantially as described.

3. ln a cotton cleaner and feeder', the combination with a casing having entrance and discharge openings, of a substantially horizontal car'rier within the casing, a feed roller beyond the iront end ot' the car'rier, a picker cylinderl disposed te remove the cotton from the interval between the carrier and 'feed roller, a hinged screen-concave sur'- roundi'ng the lower' side of the picker cylinder', and a door located in one wall ot the casing to facilitate access to the screen, which when swung on its hinge permits access to the picker cylinder; substantially as described.

4. ln a cotton cleaning feeder, the combination with an endless apron, of a driving roller therefor, a shaft carrying` said roller, mechanism for driving said shaft comprising a ratchet fastened thereto, a r'ocking lever', pawl-carrying toggles slidably connected to the lever and connected to the ratchet shaft, and means for sliding the toggle lever' connection on the rocking lever to govern the duration of engagement or' the pawls with the ratchet; substantially as described.

5. ln a feeder for' cotton gins, the combination with an endless apron, means for driving it including a ratchet, means for driving the ratchet comprising a rocking arm, a block slidable upon the arm, toggle levers connected to said block. and pawls car'r'ied by the toggle levers for alternately engaging said ratchet; substantially as described.

(. 'lhe combination with a shaft, of a ratchet thereon, a

rocking lever, toggles connected to the shaft, a toggle support carried by the lever' and connected to said toggles, op positely moving pawls carried by the toggles, a pitman for driving the rocking arm, and a lever' mechanism for sliding the toggle-support toward and away from the fulcrum ol the rocking arm substantially as described.

T. ln a cotton cleaning feeder, the combination with means for feeding the cotton, means for separating the dust therefrom, a dust-conveyer, of a ratchet forming a part ot' the dust conveyer' mechanism, a ratchet comprising part of the feeding means, a rocking lever', pawls actuated by the rocking lever' for actuating'the feeding ratchet, means for governing the duration of the engagement ot' the pawls with said feeding ratchet, a pitman for actuating the Vrocking lever', and a pawl connected to the pitman and engaging the ratchet on the dust-conveyer;,substantially as described.

S. ln a cotton cleaning feeder', the combination with means for feeding the cotton, means for' separating dust therefrom, and a dust conveyer', of a ratchet comprising part of the feeding means, a ratchet on the conveyer', pawls for engaging the respective ratchets, and a lever mechanism for simultaneously actuating said pawls, the pawl for the conveyer' and the ratchet on the conveyer' being r'eversible vwhereby the reverse position of the ratchet and pawl will reverse the movement of the conveyer; substantially as described.

formly remove the condensed cotton; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto nx my signature, in the presence ofvtwo witnesses, this 21st day of .Tune 1904.

JOHN R. FORDYCE. Witnesses:

J. MnLANCoN, A. W. HALL. 

